Caroline Shiner

Unflappable under pressure. Nails the details. Counted on for her commitment to “can do.”

Olympic Steel has a rich history, comprised of thousands of unique stories from the employees – past and present – who have built, shaped and helped grow the Company. It’s only fitting that one of the principal storytellers has her own unique history with Olympic Steel – one that we briefly highlighted as part of our Olympic Steel Leading Ladies series.

Caroline Shiner has been with Olympic Steel for nearly a decade. Though much of her time with the Company has been spent in HR, Caroline has formal training and many years of experience in communications and marketing. What sets her apart is the care she takes in telling people’s personal stories and the sincere pleasure she draws from creating moments of genuine understanding for employees.

It’s an awkward business, talking about yourself. (For example, Caroline typically writes these profiles, but we’ve tagged in another member of the Communications team for this one.) We’re proud of what we’ve achieved, but none of us wants to feel like we’re bragging. Caroline has interviewed and profiled employees from every Olympic Steel division, finding ways to tell each of their stories that allows them to shine and enjoy some well-deserved recognition.

Caroline is the type of person who puts others at ease. She’s calm and positive – even when the work gets hectic and the “to do” list is growing at an alarming pace. She is steady and has a keen eye for details – be it an employee’s personal story or the logistics associated with sharing that story. (She’s known as “eagle eye” to those who rely on her stellar proofreading abilities.) And, Caroline tackles problem solving with positivity and the big picture in mind – be it how to best position information, work through new challenges or find creative ways to get employees engaged.

“Attitude of an Olympian? Check. Role model for our Core Values? Check. Safety advocate? Check. Culture champion? Check! Caroline is helping to weave these important characteristics and components into the very fabric of Olympic Steel,” says Michelle Pearson-Casey, Vice President – Corporate Communications & Marketing. “She brings the ‘I AM Olympic Steel’ concept to life – both in her work and simply by who she is as a person and a colleague.”

Through the years, Caroline has been involved in some major milestones, transitions and transformations. Some of her proudest moments have come from these experiences, including her role in a major culture shift that took place in the Detroit facility under the leadership of Dave Gea, one of Caroline’s mentors and now Vice President for the Southeast Region. Caroline also takes great pride in the work she’s done in support of the Working for Wishes campaign in Detroit (specifically, the division’s annual golf outing) and her involvement in building Olympic Steel’s current communications programs and platforms from the ground up.

When asked her philosophy for achieving these milestones and building a fulfilling career, Caroline offers, “Always do your best and learn as much as you can – about your job, the business and how you can have a positive impact on the Company’s future.”

That’s her story, and she’s sticking to it! And, it is paying off – for Caroline and for Olympic Steel.